Dock Talk at Guntersville

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Lake Guntersville in mid-May. By now, you’d guess the Tennessee River impoundment’s textbook main channel river ledges would be the place to score a tournament win. Guess again. Spring came late. The surface temperature is 70 degrees. The bass are in all phases of the spawn, and mostly on the shallow side. That’s the setup at the 2021 Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville. <br><br> All captions: Craig Lamb
Lake Guntersville in mid-May. By now, you’d guess the Tennessee River impoundment’s textbook main channel river ledges would be the place to score a tournament win. Guess again. Spring came late. The surface temperature is 70 degrees. The bass are in all phases of the spawn, and mostly on the shallow side. That’s the setup at the 2021 Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.

All captions: Craig Lamb

That’s just what fans want to see happen at the Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville. That is a challenging matchup between bass all over the water column, and the sport’s best anglers. Myself and Andy Crawford set out to find out how it’ll shake out. We set up at Waterfront Bay Grocery and Tackle, home of the best (and biggest) burgers on the Big G.
That’s just what fans want to see happen at the Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville. That is a challenging matchup between bass all over the water column, and the sport’s best anglers. Myself and Andy Crawford set out to find out how it’ll shake out. We set up at Waterfront Bay Grocery and Tackle, home of the best (and biggest) burgers on the Big G.
Hank Cherry: “I think the spawn is delayed and quite a few fish haven’t made it back out to the river channel. There are some smaller schools out there but nothing big.”
Hank Cherry: “I think the spawn is delayed and quite a few fish haven’t made it back out to the river channel. There are some smaller schools out there but nothing big.”
“The struggle is deciding to stay shallow and fish for fry guarders or what spawning fish remain. The other options are fishing in between, or fishing out where they are going to come toward the ledges,” Cherry said. “My game plan is I’m going to be fishing in the middle, and hope they come by me on the way out. I’m not much for sight fishing in June.”
“The struggle is deciding to stay shallow and fish for fry guarders or what spawning fish remain. The other options are fishing in between, or fishing out where they are going to come toward the ledges,” Cherry said. “My game plan is I’m going to be fishing in the middle, and hope they come by me on the way out. I’m not much for sight fishing in June.”
Brock Mosley: “I feel like the fish are behind in the spawn, like everywhere else we’ve fished so far on the Tennessee River system.”
Brock Mosley: “I feel like the fish are behind in the spawn, like everywhere else we’ve fished so far on the Tennessee River system.”
“I feel like the fish should be showing up to their summer homes any day, but the shad are still up shallow,” Mosley said.
“I feel like the fish should be showing up to their summer homes any day, but the shad are still up shallow,” Mosley said.
“I can catch a bunch of fish but not keepers. I’m hoping they show up. I’m third in Angler of the Year points,
“I can catch a bunch of fish but not keepers. I’m hoping they show up. I’m third in Angler of the Year points,” Mosley continued.
“This morning I went out at 5:30, and I’ll stay out tonight until around 9 o’clock.
“This morning I went out at 5:30, and I’ll stay out tonight until around 9 o’clock.
Seth Feider: “It’s been hard for me to catch anything over 3 pounds. I can catch a limit of 2-pounders. Come derby day, I hope to cull up with a few over that average.”
Seth Feider: “It’s been hard for me to catch anything over 3 pounds. I can catch a limit of 2-pounders. Come derby day, I hope to cull up with a few over that average.”
Where are all the rods? “I don’t know. There are lots of ways to catch them here.”
Where are all the rods? “I don’t know. There are lots of ways to catch them here.”
“If I can’t catch them on those rigs then I’m going to go home,” Feider said.
“If I can’t catch them on those rigs then I’m going to go home,” Feider said.
Greg DiPalma: “Everything is going on in terms of the spawn. I’d say there’s less prespawn than anything else.”
Greg DiPalma: “Everything is going on in terms of the spawn. I’d say there’s less prespawn than anything else.”
“Postspawn is definitely dominant. I think those fish are mostly holding from zero to 10 feet,” DiPalma said.
“Postspawn is definitely dominant. I think those fish are mostly holding from zero to 10 feet,” DiPalma said.
“It seems like they are getting harder to catch, each time we come to Guntersville. I think if a guy can catch 17 pounds each day, then he will be fishing over the weekend.”
“It seems like they are getting harder to catch, each time we come to Guntersville. I think if a guy can catch 17 pounds each day, then he will be fishing over the weekend.”
Chris Groh: “I’m getting bites but the big bite is elusive. The early spawning females are in recovery mode. There are fish in transit.”
Chris Groh: “I’m getting bites but the big bite is elusive. The early spawning females are in recovery mode. There are fish in transit.”
“I’ve got a little something going on, and I don’t know where it’s going to take me,” Groh said. “I don’t like fishing that way. But I’m going to do it.”
“I’ve got a little something going on, and I don’t know where it’s going to take me,” Groh said. “I don’t like fishing that way. But I’m going to do it.”
“I didn’t have any hooks on baits during practice. There will be some bed fish caught, but there weren’t any big females. They’ve mostly moved on.”
“I didn’t have any hooks on baits during practice. There will be some bed fish caught, but there weren’t any big females. They’ve mostly moved on.”
Ed Loughran: “I think a lot of people will be splitting up fish. There are a lot of fish in certain areas, and there are only so many of them to go around.”
Ed Loughran: “I think a lot of people will be splitting up fish. There are a lot of fish in certain areas, and there are only so many of them to go around.”
“I’ve caught fish on frogs in a foot of water, all the way down to 15, 20 feet on crankbaits,” Loughran said.
“I’ve caught fish on frogs in a foot of water, all the way down to 15, 20 feet on crankbaits,” Loughran said.
“They are all over the board in terms of the spawning cycle. I’ve seen heavy prespawn fish, fish on beds, and offshore.”
“They are all over the board in terms of the spawning cycle. I’ve seen heavy prespawn fish, fish on beds, and offshore.”
Drew Cook: “I believe you can do anything you’ve ever wanted to do in this tournament. I feel like I went down a rabbit hole by trying to do both shallow and deep.”
Drew Cook: “I believe you can do anything you’ve ever wanted to do in this tournament. I feel like I went down a rabbit hole by trying to do both shallow and deep.”
“I spent a lot of time out deep, and more time shallow, marking bluegill beds and bedding bass,” said Cook.
“I spent a lot of time out deep, and more time shallow, marking bluegill beds and bedding bass,” said Cook.
“I don’t think anyone can do both and win. I think it’ll be won by the guy who sets up offshore and catches them coming to him.”
“I don’t think anyone can do both and win. I think it’ll be won by the guy who sets up offshore and catches them coming to him.”
Garrett Paquette: “It’s tough for Guntersville. I think a lot of that has to do with the fishing pressure. Everything is further behind. I thought this was going to be an offshore fest. I was really looking forward to it.”
Garrett Paquette: “It’s tough for Guntersville. I think a lot of that has to do with the fishing pressure. Everything is further behind. I thought this was going to be an offshore fest. I was really looking forward to it.”
“A lot of the shad and bluegill are spawning. The fish haven’t quite yet made it out there,” Paquette said. “There are a lot of fish up shallow and they are scattered.”
“A lot of the shad and bluegill are spawning. The fish haven’t quite yet made it out there,” Paquette said. “There are a lot of fish up shallow and they are scattered.”
“That bite is random. It’s going to be one of those tournaments where you are going to have to cover a lot of water.”
“That bite is random. It’s going to be one of those tournaments where you are going to have to cover a lot of water.”
You’ve got kind of a buffet going on here. <br><br> Austin Felix: “Yeah, that’s because I’ve needed it all to catch fish. I’ve got all those rods out because I’m going to have to do some bed fishing, shallow and offshore fishing.”
You’ve got kind of a buffet going on here.

Austin Felix: “Yeah, that’s because I’ve needed it all to catch fish. I’ve got all those rods out because I’m going to have to do some bed fishing, shallow and offshore fishing.”

“It’s kind of postspawn funk,” Felix said. “There still are a few fish on bed. There are a lot of fry guarders. A lot of bluegill spawning.”
“It’s kind of postspawn funk,” Felix said. “There still are a few fish on bed. There are a lot of fry guarders. A lot of bluegill spawning.”
“There are very few fish offshore. It’s going to take a lot of grinding it out to stay in the game.”
“There are very few fish offshore. It’s going to take a lot of grinding it out to stay in the game.”
Matt Robertson: “Nobody really knows what’s really going on with this pond. Fish are spawning, and it’s summertime in Alabama.”
Matt Robertson: “Nobody really knows what’s really going on with this pond. Fish are spawning, and it’s summertime in Alabama.”
“I’ve never seen fish spawn this late, this far south,” Robertson said.
“I’ve never seen fish spawn this late, this far south,” Robertson said.
“It’s going to be all about doing whatever you want to do, which might not be a bad thing either.”
“It’s going to be all about doing whatever you want to do, which might not be a bad thing either.”